Nighttime Conversations
by Lara1221
Summary: On the night Andromeda and Narcissa return from Hogwarts for Easter, Bella, Andy, and Cissy have one last time together before their world is torn apart. / For my sister.


**Disclaimer: **Everything HP related is property JK Rowling, I just came up with this little oneshot, and the cover isn't mine either.

**For Uni: Happy Birthday! **Sorry it's a bit late :P I hope you had a great one!

**Dedication:** to my sister, Irene. We may fight every second of every day, and you may hate Harry Potter, but I'll always be here.

* * *

**yonderly (adj.)** **-** mentally or emotionally distant

* * *

Nighttime Conversations

Nighttime had always been Bellatrix's favorite: the world would go quiet, and the stars would shine, and she could be at peace. After a full, long day, the night would come and the stars would burn brightly as her mind cleared of thoughts.

But now, she felt trapped. Innocence kept her unaware of nighttime wanderers, of the sort of people who only had the courage to do something vile when no one was looking. She used to be able to escape the harsh reality of life: her parents' unloving marriage and her family's incestuous ways, the strong walls her sisters had built around their hearts, the fact that her future was predestined.

Until now. She could escape that fate: following her parents' bidding, with traditional ways as she became a housewife who was also told to torture, who was torn apart by these new _radicals_ in the Ministry. The Dark Lord was the only way. He was new, and young, and ready to fight. The ways of her egotisitical relatives were dying out; she was going to turn every last one of them onto her Lord's side. Under his lead, she could finally have her way without those ancient ways holding her back. If she ever had a chance to be free, to do as she wished and not give a damn about anyone else, it was with him. He would take her to new heights, the world bowing beneath them side-by-side.

She reached into the pocket of her nightdress and pulled out the torn sheet of newspaper, feeling her paranoia slip away: MUGGLE TORTURE, No Lead Suspects the paper read. This, this is why he would succeed; he was different than all the others who had tried, the ones immortalized only in pages of history books. He had power, real power and he was sly and slick and could use it. Bellatrix will follow him to the end.

A new world, a new empire. It was the only goal in sight, and she wouldn't stop until he was on top.

Bellatrix could use her powers in broad daylight, the threat of muggles removed. Those witches, wizards who were ...inferior to her finally put in their place, beneath those who are superior. Bellatrix did not worship her family name, she was not entranced by the _Noble_ and _Most Ancient _House of Black. Her own surname made her sick. Her family, once powerful and rich and royal was destroying its reputation, and she wanted no part of it. Rather, she was obsessed with the power she could have, the things she could accomplish, what she could become if she upheld family ideals with her Master by her side.

It was a warm night, but a breeze ran through her nightgown and a chill ran up her spine; perhaps wearing only her sleep clothes hadn't been a good idea. Nevertheless, she continued in her quest backward, away from the house and through the grand expanse of her estate. She curled her bare toes into the grass, relishing in the new spring air. There was only so much she could take of the tainted air of Muggles, and they always ended back here in their garden.

Hers, Andromeda's, and Narcissa's; it was their place to be at home and at peace. It was she who had discovered the garden first. It was a calm, magical place, their own little world away from family and from Muggles. It was here where she felt at peace with her sisters, where they went when they were fighting and everything could be okay again. Surrounded by beautiful plants and emerald leaves, it was her own sacred place, untainted as the world around her changed drastically.

And Bellatrix was at the center of it all.

Bellatrix surveyed the beautiful garden, taking a seat on the bench Father had made for them. That was so long ago, now, and she had been so young.

So much had changed. _Thank Salazar for that._

Bellatrix raised a gentle hand to reach out and touch one of the thriving thristles. (Those had always been her favorite.) They were...jagged and sharp, a harsh exterior; and yet they were so beautiful. They were Bellatrix's flowers: delicately, disgustingly, deceptively devious.

Just one prick, and it might draw blood.

Suddenly, the wind whistled in her ears and she heard the crack of leaves, and turned around sharply. Andromeda stood there, evidently deciding to finally make an appearance. She had embarrassed them all tonight; Rabastan Lestrange had gotten down on one knee with a diamond ring in hand for her, and she had said no. Andy had fled to her room, and no one had seen her since she had, a charm in place to repel their outrageous parents. The irony was not missed on her: in this time of family, the relationship she had with her sisters was falling apart.

* * *

"Hello, Bella." Andromeda's voice was barely a whisper, but Bellatrix looked sharply at her all the same. "Happy Easter. I don't think we've talked all night."

Andy did not shrink under her gaze, nor step back. The ferocity of Bellatrix's glare was so strong and icy it did not need words, and she felt the unnerving coldness of Bellatrix's dark eyes tilt her balance. She didn't even flinch, but it put her heart and her mind on edge, feeling herself break into pieces under her sister's void stare and yet determined to not let it show in her stature at all. There were so many things Andromeda had to say, but it seemed that they would not be talking tonight.

Uncountable minutes ticked on in silence, the seconds making a _tick, tock_ in Andy's mind as she stared elsewhere, and finally, Bellatrix did the same. As she felt Bellatrix's eyes leave her, she breathed a sigh of relief.

There was so much Andromeda had to say; why couldn't she find her voice?

The forest around their land was silent. She knew the horrors that lay within were nothing compared to what she faced at Hogwarts, but her family compensated for the lack of monsters.

Except for Bella, and Cissy. They had never agreed nearly as strongly as Andy on her opinions, but they had always been there, and listened. They could escape here and watch the world move around them, and she would be confident that no matter what happened, she would always have her sisters. They would talk together, about the future, when they could be away from their horrid parents and nothing would be wrong, even if Andromeda would never agree with them. She would always be there for sisters, even if they never agreed with her. No matter what the cost, she had always wanted to be with them.

But that just wasn't an option anymore.

Ted Tonks had waltzed into Andromeda's life and changed everything. Bella and Cissy had been kind; but this, this was too far. Narcissa had discovered her, and from the looks of it, she had told Bellatrix.

After tonight, everything would be different. When was the next time she would sit here, like this, with Bella? That was a question she really didn't want the answer to.

But Ted was worth it, so worth it.

Andy thought she had known what love was. She felt love towards her sisters. There was love for Sirius and Regulus, as she protected them, especially Sirius, from his parents' harsh ways.

Andy thought she had known it would be more than that. Something she would feel deep inside her, that would make her warm and happy and be the happiest she ever had been.

But it was so, so much more than that.

And they had a promise, a future she was looking forward to more than anything. Rabastan and her family had no place in that future, even if she wanted them to.

Love was the way he said _Dromeda_, the way no one else ever had or ever would. It was the way he held her when she came to him, no questions asked, only comfort. The way she thought about him all the time, and the way that when he greeted her with a kiss, she knew he did too. It was the way that when they finally got to see each other after the day of hiding and sneaking around, they would hold each other tight, dreading when they had to let go.

And it was the way that when she was with him, she literally felt as if her heart would burst.

She didn't realize there were tears in her eyes until she felt Bella's eyes on her again, cutting through her like a knife. Andromeda looked up to meet her stare, and the tears fell faster.

There was no emotion in her glare; an empty void, unfeeling. This wasn't how they were supposed to be around each other. They were sisters: they cared for and loved each other, and she couldn't handle the change.

But she loved Ted, she did, and they couldn't handle that.

This family had kept her trapped long enough. Andromeda had always only been fond of one particular plant in the garden: a simple flower, with a bud she had never seen open. She had researched it in herbology, but had always failed to come up with something. The bud had never bloomed or opened, not when she was there, at least, and yet the petals were a beautiful shade of light blue, and she had never known what lied inside them. The flower had been closed off from the rest of the world, as Andromeda had been with her family.

But it was blooming now, and it was beautiful.

Andy looked back to her sister: the one who had always loved, who she thought had always had her back, and the look in her eyes brought the tears back in full force.

Suddenly, Bella's head jerked to the side, and Andy followed her gaze. Narcissa stood there, shock evident in her stance.

* * *

"Oh Andy, what happened?" Narcissa looked at her sister desperately, wrapping an arm around her back.

When she had discovered Andromeda and Ted, she had never thought it would go this far. They were in a family of arranged marriages, that's how it went. Andromeda had always been planned to marry Lestrange, this was just supposed to make it official.

Cissy could feel Andy's body shake with tears, and she rubbed a hand on her back soothingly. This could only mean one thing, she knew, and Cissy looked up at her oldest sister's cruel, unmoving glare, even as Andy continued to sob.

This is what it was going to be like from now on, she knew. Bellatrix would never forgive Andy for this, this was too far. And frankly, neither could Cissy, but she was nice enough to not literally tear her sister to pieces. Even if she...even if she felt the same way, it was too late for that now. Betrothed to Lucius Malfoy, a guaranteed spot with Bella and her fiancé in Voldemort's inner circle.

She couldn't escape, not if she didn't want to, and definitely not if she did.

But she didn't want to, she didn't.

_Then why do I have to keep convincing myself?_

"You love him, don't you?" Bellatrix's words were harsh, cruel, and accusatory.

What does it matter? Why does it even matter? Narcissa wasn't about to go loving filthy mudbloods, but Andy...Andy had always been different.

It was at this point that Narcissa realized she was going to lose her sisters tonight. She could never speak to Andy again, and she would never forgive Bella for the way she was acting right now, for making their last time together horrible.

Slowly, as if it physically pained her, Andromeda looked straight ahead and nodded, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

Bellatrix made a sound of pure, unadulterated disgust. "You're just as filthy as the rest of them. You realize, don't you?" she hissed, and Cissy felt her own eyes watering. This isn't how it should be. They should be closer, a family.

Why did Andromeda do this to them?

_No!_ she scolded herself, _you were drifting apart anyway... and if you think like that, you're worse than Bella._

_But what's the damn point, anyway?_

Narcissa realized her family is literally falling apart, and there's _nothing she can do about it._

"You should be ashamed." Bellatrix's sneer broke her from her thoughts. "Breeding, letting that disgusting mudblood be near you. I thought you were far too good for him, but if you're willing to let him rip your heart out, like the cruel bloody _bastard_ —"

"_Don't speak about him like that!_" Andy yelled suddenly, shocking Narcissa as she turned and lunged for Bella. Cissy grabbed her arms to hold her back, but she has always been the small, beautiful, fragile one, who was constantly emotional, whose ideas were constantly changing, but she never had the courage to do anything about them. Rebelling against her family, changing her ways, they all crossed her mind.

But that would never, ever happen.

Every rose has its thorns.

"He's better than you will ever be. He's real, not an empty, soulless, pure blood shell," she bit every word, shooting Narcissa and Bellatrix significant looks through her rage and tears.

Narcissa met Bella's eyes behind Andy, and there is a silent exchange, words not good enough for what they need, or want, to say. In an instant, Bella's eyes soften, and Cissy stares ahead in shock.

"Is he even worth it, Andy?" Bella's tone holds none of her previous venom. It is not angry, or cold, but it is exasperated and frustrated, and just a little bit broken.

She had thought it would be the three of them, together.

And now, Narcissa realized this is the turning point, the end. There is no coming back from this.

Andromeda loves Ted with all her heart, and she will never turn her back on him.

And Bellatrix will never forgive her, and they will be scarred forever by tonight's events.

And nothing will ever be the same again.

"Yes," Andy whispered, the moonlight glistening on her wet cheeks. "I love him, more than you will ever know."

If this is the last time they will ever be together, like this, Narcissa would be damned if she let it go this way. She reached to Andy and squeezed her hand, ignoring her look of shock and looking down at the interwoven fingers.

"I'm so, so happy for you," Narcissa whispered into the darkness. "You can be away from here, like you always wanted."

"I...I can't protect him, Andy," Narcissa looked to see Bella holding her sister's other hand. "And I still hate him, but get out of here. Try, run, escape. I am never, _ever_ giving you this chance again, do you understand?"

"I know," Andy gulped. "I...I love you both, so-"

"Andy," Narcissa squeezed her sister's hand, and the three of them embrace one last time. "Its okay...everything is going to be okay."

* * *

Bellatrix raced from the garden immediately after, into the night. Her voice will never again be void of venom. Voldemort has taken everything she ever loved about her sister and crushed it to pieces. She had always been cruel, vile towards Muggleborns, but never murderous. That's gone, now. Soon after, Narcissa escapes as well, in a teary acceptance of what she knew was coming all night.

Andromeda looks up to the moonlight as she stands, hugging her arms to herself and walking into the clearing where she can apparate away. From her sisters, from her life.

She throws one last fleeting glance at her childhood garden, sobs catching in her throat and tears spilling over as before she disappears with a _crack_, and her eyes catch on their flowers as they rot to nothing.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed that! Written for:

**Hogwarts School Comp: Herbology: **story takes place in a park with flowers and plants (prompts: empire, relative, torture, ego, leader, thistle, emerald, pocket, sheet, newspaper, paranoid, book, balance); **Astronomy: **character with the name of a star or constellation (prompts: family, escape, word, minute, forest, knife, scar); **Star Challenge: Bellatrix: **write about bellatrix or andromeda or narcissa (BAMF); **Star Light, Bright Challenge: Black Hole: **write about obsession; **Disney Plotline Comp: Lady and the Tramp: **write about someone changing; **Chp. 2 Title Acrostics challenge: N: **object- nightgown; **Off the Block Comp: Hard Freestyle: **write a story exceeding 2,000 words; **Hogwarts Winter Games Challenge: Ski Cross: **takes place in a specific era; **Occasions Challenge: **Easter; **Fanfiction Terms comp: AU: **write about a change in someone; **Gemstone comp: onyx: **write about a death eater; **Interesting Words Challenge: **yonderly (I didn't even know this was a word :P)

Please drop me a review if you liked it! Also, I'm taking a poll about author's notes, so if you could check that out, that would be great :)

Lara,


End file.
